Kamloops teens charged with plotting to attack school

Two Kamloops teens are facing criminal charges after an alleged plot to use weapons to harm staff and students at a city high school was thwarted last week.

The youths, a boy and a girl, are accused of conspiring to attack administrators, teachers and students at the school.

The teens cannot be named under provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act and the name of the school, as well as the details of the allegations against the pair, is bound by a court-ordered ban on publication put in place on Wednesday.

The teens are accused of plotting to carry out their attack on Feb. 7. They are charged with conspiracy to commit assault with a weapon.

One of the suspects, the boy, was released from custody on Wednesday on a number of strict bail terms. The girl remains in custody.

“The circumstances before me are of grave concern,” Kamloops provincial court Judge Stephen Harrison said Wednesday in granting the boy bail. “These are very serious charges.”

The boy was released on conditions requiring he live with his mother and stay off social media. He cannot have any contact with either his co-accused or staff or students at the school he is accused of plotting to attack.

The boy, who has no criminal record, will also be required to submit to psychiatric testing as directed and will be barred from using the internet other than to watch Netflix. Reasons for the exemption are included in lawyers’ submissions, which are part of the publication ban.

It is not known when the girl will make her first appearance in court.

The boy’s Instagram account is named after a prominent U.S. school shooting. Included on the page are various images and text regarding death and mass homicide, The first post on the girl’s Instagram page is of a school shooting in progress.

The Kamloops-Thompson school district is not commenting on the specifics of the charges against two of its students.

“I can’t comment on any details right now,” said Bill Hamblett, assistant superintendent of secondary schools.

“We are aware of the incident. Keeping our students safe is our No. 1 priority. Our principals and our staff work closely with the RCMP to ensure our students and staff are secure.”